Perry's tour fanning rumors

Updated 9:33 pm, Friday, June 14, 2013

Gov. Rick Perry is scheduled for events in Washington, D.C., Connecticut and New York over the weekend.

Gov. Rick Perry is scheduled for events in Washington, D.C., Connecticut and New York over the weekend.

Perry's tour fanning rumors

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AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry has piled lawmakers' plates high with issues including abortion and is watching them pick their way through the redistricting minefield that he put before them in the first place.

But he's got other fish to fry.

Perry is scheduled to appear Saturday at the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference in Washington, which is billed as “one of the premier events for people of faith and conservative activists.”

He embarks Sunday on a tour of Connecticut and New York that gives him the chance to showcase his Texas record as he works to lure jobs.

Perry's departure comes a week after he ignited his rhetoric against the Obama administration, likening surveillance activities to what he expects from China.

This may be just the sort of thing Perry would do if he were running for president again, and perhaps re-election before that, although he's keeping his plans close to the vest.

“He has long said ... that he would strongly consider another run for governor and another run for president. And I think those considerations are still ongoing, and still very real,” said Ray Sullivan, a lobbyist who is Perry's former gubernatorial chief of staff and his former presidential campaign communications director.

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But Sullivan cautioned against seeing a campaign agenda in Perry's travels, rhetoric or additions to the special-session agenda.

“Good policy almost always makes good politics,” Sullivan said. “No one will know his intentions until he says what they are.” In his conversations with Perry ahead of his run for the White House last time, Sullivan said, “It wasn't happening — until it was.”

Longtime lobbyist Bill Miller said of the business-recruiting trips, “He thinks it's part of his job. It also has the additional benefit of giving him national coverage and reach ... It's a two-fer all the way.”

Perry's trip stretches through June 20, less than a week before the end of the 30-day special session that he called to begin on the regular session's last day.

After originally giving lawmakers the politically thorny task of approving political maps, in recent days Perry added transportation, a bill on punishment for 17-year-olds who commit capital crimes and abortion regulations.

Perry spokesman Josh Havens said Perry “has given the legislature direction regarding this special session, now it is up to them to address the issues on the call.”

GOP consultant Matt Mackowiak said Perry appears more nationally focused and believes a presidential run is much more likely than a re-election bid. But Mackowiak added, “He's unpredictable.”

“I suspect he hasn't made any decision, but he is going to do those things that he would need to do if he were running,” Theriault said. “He clearly wouldn't be doing this if he had no interest in running.”

Theriault said Perry must win re-election to be viable in another presidential race after his last mistake-laden performance. “Only re-election gets him a second look,” he said. Some can see Perry as carving out a national role even absent another run — à la Sarah Palin — perhaps as a Fox network contributor, author or leader on conservative issues. Mackowiak, however, said a role as a national pundit is “much more likely after running for president again than before.”

A second Perry presidential run, as much as anything, could be a chance for him to show he can be a better candidate than he was the first time — even in what's expected to be a much stronger field.

“I think any candidate who feels like they fell short of what they can be wants another chance,” Miller said.

Mackowiak said, “He feels like 'I didn't perform as well as I could have, and should have, and I'll be better the second time around.'”

Sullivan said such political redemption wouldn't be the goal of another presidential race, if there is one.

“There are plenty of things that he could do with his life,” Sullivan said. “The only reason to put yourself through that again is to work hard to win. You don't run to do anything short of winning.”